Paul Robeson: Civil Rights Activist

Target Age: Elementary School/Middle School Time Period: 20th Century Featured County: Mercer NJ 350th Theme: Diversity NJ Common Core Standards: Social Studies: 6.1.4.A.1, 6.1.4.A.3,

6.1.4.A.9 Social Studies Skills: Critical Thinking Language Arts Literacy: 3.1 Reading ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What are civil rights and how are they protected? BACKGROUND: Paul Robeson was one of the best-known African American actors and Civil Rights activists of the early twentieth century. But questions about race confronted him much earlier in his career. Born in 1898, Robeson grew up in Princeton, New Jersey. His father had escaped slavery and become a Presbyterian minister, while his mother came from a prominent Philadelphia family. At seventeen, he received a scholarship to Rutgers University, where he participated in almost all varsity sports teams, graduated with honors in four years, and was his class valedictorian. He went on to Columbia University Law School, and, in the early 1920s, began working at a New York law firm. Unfortunately racial strife at the firm ended Robeson’s legal career, but he soon found another avenue for his talents. Returning to his love of public speaking, Robeson found work as an actor and singer, and performed benefits throughout the world for causes of social justice. More than any other performer of his time, he believed that the famous have a responsibility to fight for justice and peace. During the 1940s, Robeson’s activism caught the attention of Senator Joseph McCarthy. Despite his contributions as an entertainer to the Allied forces during World War II, Robeson was singled out as a threat to American democracy. Every attempt was made to silence him, and in 1950 his passport was revoked. He could no longer travel abroad to perform, and his ability to work was badly hampered. It took eight years before his passport was reinstated, and his career never fully recovered. ACTIVITY: Ask students if they have ever been prohibited from doing something they wanted to do. Under what circumstances did these things happened and how did they feel about their experience? Did they do

Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries

something against the rules? Were they being punished? If so, was it a just punishment? If it was not punishment, why were they left out and did they think it was fair? Distribute the athletic photographs listed below (you may divide the class into small groups and give each group an image, or show them to the class as a whole through PowerPoint). Tell students what time period this is (the late 1920s). Ask them what they notice about the photographs. Have students read two letters, the first written by a former student at Rutgers University about an upcoming football game against Washington & Lee University. The second was written by the Rutgers University President in response. What problem does the first letter identify? How does the college President respond? Ask students what they think of this answer. FOLLOW-UP: For homework, instruct students to find current (within the last year) articles from newspapers, magazines, the Internet, TV news reports, etc. that provide examples of where civil rights are being protected or challenged. Display these on a bulletin board. WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Places You Can Visit

Paul Robeson Historic House, Philadelphia, PA: http://paulrobesonhouse.org/

Special Collections and University Archives at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/libs/scua/scua.shtml

Additional Teaching Resources

PBS, “Paul Robeson: The Renaissance Man” (focuses on Paul Robeson’s artistic career and social activism; designed for middle school, but can be easily adapted for high school students): http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/lessons/paul-robeson-the-renaissance-man/lesson-overview/128/

New Jersey Digital Highway, Rutgers University, “Paul Robeson’s Othello” (combines an excerpt from one of Paul Robeson’s most famous stage roles, as well as a brief two minute audio clip of Robeson’s voice during the performance; designed for middle school students): http://www.njdigitalhighway.org/enj/lessons/paul_robeson/?part=monologue&print=1

National Archives, “The Many Faces of Paul Robeson” (combines several primary documents to enable students to trace the variety of roles Paul Robeson played as an athlete, an artist, and an activist throughout his life; designed for high school students : http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/robeson/

For More Information:

The State of New Jersey, “Black History in New Jersey”: http://www.state.nj.us/nj/home/features/spot_black_history.html

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (New York Public Library): http://schomburgcenter.tumblr.com/post/20779375742/remembering-paul-robeson

Howard University: http://www.howard.edu/library/assist/guides/robeson.htm

WHYY “Paul Robeson’s Philadelphia Story”: http://www.whyy.org/community/robeson.html

Rutgers Football Team

Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries

Rutgers Baseball Team

Rutgers

Basketball

Team

Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries

Rutgers Track Team

Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries

Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries

Carr, James. James Carr, Alumni to William H.S. Demarest, President of Rutgers University,

June 6, 1919. Letter.

Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries

Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries

Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries

Demarest, William H.S. William H.S. Demarest, President of Rutgers University to James Carr,

Alumni. June 16, 1919

Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries

CREDIT INFORMATION: Pg. 1: Robeson with teammates. Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers

University Libraries.

Pg. 3: Football team. Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University

Libraries.

Pg. 4: Baseball team. Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University

Libraries.

Pg. 5 (top): Basketball team. Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers

University Libraries.

Pg. 5 (bottom): Track team. Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers

University Libraries.

Pg. 6-8: Carr, James. James Carr, Alumni to President William H.S. Demarest, President of Rutgers

University, June 6, 1919. Letter. Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers

University Libraries.

Pg. 9: Demarest, William H.S. William H.S. Demarest, President of Rutgers University to James

Carr, Alumni. June 16, 1919. Courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers

University Libraries.

It Happened Here: New Jersey is a program of the New Jersey Historical Commission made possible by a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. To access more teaching resources created for this

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